Tsuyoshi in Iraq The Series
by hexbomb
Summary: Tsuyoshi leaves his home and fights with the Japanese Army at Iraq.
1. Tsuyoshi in Iraq The Draft Persecution C...

Tsuyoshi in Iraq - The Draft Persecution   
  
(Chapter I)  
  
"May I sit down here, please?"  
  
"Oh no, not at all!," a handsome and timid boy moved his package that was in the window seat below to the floor in between his shoes, with a fixed and courteous manner. He sat up and pulled his shirt down and rested his head on the pillow that was on the top of the seat. The train whistled and chugged while the night gradually turned into setrise. Outside, Japan still looked it if it was almost a sleeping bear hibernating in a dark and gloomy cave.  
  
The boy's name was Tsuyoshi, and it was about ten years that he grew into an adult after his lively time in school of age 14. He eventually married his beautiful Aya, and became good neighbors with Akito and Sana, who were irrevocably coupled. Time passed by, and all was peaceful. Fuka strangely ended up engaging with Naozumi, to which Tsuyoshi was surprised.   
  
"Ah, isn't it great that you guys have something to share in common?" complimented Tsuyoshi.  
  
"Well, yes, and seems to me that you've got quite a time on your hands to ask such a question," said Naozumi.  
  
  
  
"We could remember those times when things were what they used to be. But today, that has changed."  
  
"So, how's your Aya? Is she doing fine?"  
  
"Oh.. pretty much, we've just had some time together, turning up the music, and relaxing... Yes..."  
  
"Well, Fuka's a person to which I am much more to myself than I was ever before in this world.... I never knew I would fall so deeply in love with her. It was as if..."  
  
"I must go now. It's my stop. I'll see you at work tomorrow. Cya!" Tsuyoshi waved at his corporate partner. He still couldn't believe that Fuka and Naozumi would actually get hooked together for years to come. He went up the steps towards the train station. "All passengers boarding Gate 5..."  
  
On the train, Tsuyoshi dreamt of how serene his world had become, and the intimate problems he solved for everyone he practically knew in Japan. The passenger who sat next to him seemed queer for Tsuyoshi noticed him staring at his package. He wore a dignified uniform revealing his high ranks of many battles. The bureaucrat stood up and increditavely drank Tsuyoshi's wine that was poised within the seat cupholder.   
  
"Hi, my name's Juuke, and I'm the recruiting officer of Tokyo's Japanese Self Defense Forces, and as you know, our country is at war with the terrorists. We are fully conscripting all possible males age 18 to 55 to enlist in the military. It is imperative, you take this into consideration that you will be randomly selected by our officers, called upon by the Monarchy guardsmen of the Diet/Kokkai Parliament. Call me at this number here below this address if you have any questions." The officer gave him a business card that was embroidered with gold-like filings all around the edges. He left without hesisitation and was gone before Tsuyoshi could turn around and notice that the train door had hinged itself back to a closed state.  
  
Tsuyoshi, turned around and looked at the card, for he knew that Japan had gone slightly mysterious. How could he join his army to fight in such a war? What would the others think of him? Is he ready for this? It is as if the third world war had probably begun. He tucked the card in his shirt pocket, and fixed his head on the pillow again. In a moment, he fell into a blank and calmful sleep.  
  
  
  
Next morning, the sun rose over the misty mountains. It shone on the carrier roofs with unmerciful heat that melted the window dew to steam. Inside, Tsuyoshi woke up, stretched, and headed up to go to the restrooms. He knocked on the door..  
  
"Anyone in there?" Tsuyoshi went in and saw through the vent window the distant mountains glistening in light. He cracked his neck and sat on the seat. Out of nowhere, he heard a beeping sound. It sounded like a bird had landed on the extended train conditioner, to which it was fanning outside. 'Blee-dee-dip-deepp...' He heard that sound again. Where did it come from? he thought. This time, it seem to came from the bottom of the waste seat. He looked in and noticed that it was peculiarly dry. He felt the inside edges, and felt a sharp cold stick poking at him. Was that a living thing in there? He kneeled down and dug his hand into the toilet pipe. All of a sudden, it is as if he felt.... Oh no, he thought.... Could it be?  
  
Tsuyoshi, stormed out the door and ran towards the end of the train car. He opened the transfer door to the other train and at that instance, he heard another similar beeping sound outside. It sounded loud, that even the wind hurling around could not surpress its frequency. 'BEE-DEE-BEEP-BEE-DEE-BEEP!' the strange object went. He quickly spotted it that was beneath the train roof. It was, he guessed it, an explosive.  
  
He knew it was an electro-fire bomb due to his experience in engineering explosives at demolition school; it was just about two years ago when his instructor ordered the demolishing the old Tokyo tower version of the Eiffel in France. He now currently works at Hoyshai Buildings Corporation with Naozumi. Tsuyoshi never had any knowledge of disarming such deadly blast weapons many consider are only second devastating to suicide attacks.  
  
As soon as he stepped into the next train, he went to the large call room to warn the driver. "Hello? Don't get me wrong, but I think these trains have wired bombs attached!" Tsuyoshi paused to listen to the responding driver. He couldn't quite get the receiving message as the phone he was using was beaten badly by many many passengers.  
  
"I can't hear you!" screamed Tsuyoshi. He hung up and called his wife through the cell. "Hello, Aya? Yes, this is Tsuyoshi.... Well, I've just gotten up, and so my voice might be not fully awake. And..."  
  
At the house in Sana's neighborhood, Aya had gotten up to go to training work. At this time, she spoke on the phone,  
  
"How can this be? You have to get off that train, Tsuyoshi! Please! I don't want you to.."  
  
On the other line, Tsuyoshi heard a loud and rippling bang. Immediately, the train he had just been and where he had left the package on, had just lost its wheels and slidded down the hills toward a nearby lake. Tsuyoshi, not knowing what he was doing, hung up the cell phone, and looked out the back-door window. Half of the train convoy had been gone. The back cargo train group had plunged into the waters and drowned its victims. The driver, who had half-heard the explosion, stepped on the emergency brake until the train screeched, just like a harsh chalk rubbing against a coarse chalkboard. Sparks flew out of the railroad. In a second, the surviving train, released a stock of steam, and an announcement came in: "It looks that that there had been a technical crisis. Please remain in your seats as we resolve this issue. Thank you, this is your driver Pekay speaking."  
  
Everyone on the remaining trains started chattering to each other. One of the men got up. "I say we complain to this rediculous service. I want my refund!" Tsuyoshi saw the officer he haw earlier come from the front of the express approached towards the man. The officer Juuke pushed the furious fellow into his seat. All of a sudden, Tsuyoshi heard several helicopters roaring in the sky. In a minute, two of them landed near the tracks. The crafts had fixed missile and gattling guns, and they had soldiers pouring out to the ground. All of combatants had army-issued M-16s. "Go, go, go! I want this area secured! Evacuate all surviving W/C victims!" a tall figure said outside.  
  
Footsteps came into the train rooms, and everyone was brought outside. As soon as the women and children were loaded onto the helis, Tsuyoshi felt a slight tap behind his shoulder. He saw several militists talking to the groups of men who were being searched for what seems to be signs of I.D. licenses. Juuke, the officer in front him, advised, "It is time, Tsuyoshi. A second wave of helicopters will come pick us up and send us to a nearby base. As for now, fill out this application, and do not distress yourself, we will let you contact your friends and families on the way there."  
  
Tsuyoshi sat with the other exausted men in the floating gunship flying to the military base that was 75 miles north of Tokyo. He felt impaired by the fact to see what happened just hours earlier. That loud explosion just occuring on the point of mid-dawn gave him a steady siezure. He imagines the the thought of being in that train he left his package in. He visualizes a situation of him being pitilessly trapped in there and drowning with the innocent people into the swampy lake.  
  
  
  
He shook his head and felt he was going to cry. He never thought that the day would come to undoubtedly fight in the army. A tear came out, and he rubbed his shirt over his face twice trying to soothe his shattered soul. What would Aya think of this? He had to call her. The helicopter landed on a pad. The back hatch door opened up, and several soldiers came up to help grab the men out. Desert dust caught in everyone's eyes and mouths. They were escorted to a large bunker house for which a Japanese flag was hoisted up on top.   
  
"Men, you may use the phones to contact your loved ones. Please use your time wisely as you will have 15 minutes to call." a high-ranking driller said. All of the men scrambled to the booths. Since the booths could only serve half of them, many began fighting and cursing at each other.   
  
"QUIET! QUIET!!! SIT DOWN!" the driller said, "I said sit down!" The men halted their actions and looked at the driller and began to seat themselves down on the dusty wooden floor. A guy at the back started coughing. "Men, the Japanese defense administration have called upon all of you and many other male citizens across the islands to call at arms and fight in Iraq. Several regiments have been stationed there and are already being under attack by the Hussaini Rebels. The United States is doing all it can to hold off the enemy excursions, but they need our help! We have got to cooperate. Alright, if you need to call your families and friends, please do so now, BUT FIRST, I want half of you to wait for the first half to finish their calls. Each half group will have 7.5 minutes to use their time."  
  
The drill sergeant picked out the men for the first 7.5 minutes use. Tsuyoshi was the last of half-group called. Tsuyoshi came up to the sergeant and found out his cell had been missing. He disregarded the lost article and went to a booth. He thought for awhile and found out that Aya was at a routinely baseball game with Fuka and Sana. Aya didn't had a cell, but Sana did. He called Sana's cell and in two rings, heard a cheerful voice called him, "Hi! Sana speaking!"  
  
"Sana! Is Aya sitting with you at the moment? I need to talk to her. It's kind of an emergency."  
  
"Hold on.."  
  
"Tsuyoshi! I was worried because I've been pondering you the whole day, and I couldn't really concentrate on the game!"  
  
"Don't worry, I'm at a rescue base somewhere.. Well I don't know where, but I'll tell you later! Now, I've got to tell you that the military is starting to draft all men to fight overseas with America and Great Britain!"  
  
"Oh no! That's awful. What could..."  
  
"I know, I know.. Here, let me talk to Sana while you talk to Fuka about this draft."  
  
"O.K. Let me hand this over.."  
  
"Hello? Yeah, it's Sana. What's up?"  
  
"I know this may sound shocking, but I'm afraid Japan is drafting all men to fight in the war."  
  
Sana looked ghastly and paused. She mumbled, "Akito couldn't be, how can.."  
  
  
  
"Hello, Sana? Are you there?" Tsuyoshi felt a sweat accumulating on his forehead and neck. His cheeks were pink. He took off his glasses and cleaned it with a cloth and continued, "Sana? You alright?"  
  
"I-I-no, I cannot let Akito go, and neither should you. I'm going ask Akito to look for you. YOu stay where you are."  
  
"Sana, I don't know if the army would let me rest here for a while; I might be transferred to another base sooner or later."  
  
The driller came out of his office at the back of the room, "Alright people, time's up... NEXT group!"  
  
Tsuyoshi glanced at the driller and endured his conversations, "I gotta go now. Tell Aya I love her, and to breathe in and out slowly whenever she's in panic! Bye!"  
  
Tsuyoshi got up and went to a bench near the window. It was getting dark outside and he could hear jets landing in and out of the fields. Next to him, he saw a fine gentleman wearing ripped jeans and a plain shirt. Could it be... no! Wait a minute.. It is. It is! Akito was casually sitting down not noticing the existng world, always thinking about the unknown. Tsuyoshi could not recognize his figure due to its beaten up clothes and hair.  
  
"Akito, is it that you?"  
  
"Huh? Tsuyoshi, what are you doing here? You're too young to be starting to fight overseas."  
  
"What? We're the same age for heavens sakes!"  
  
"Well, you might wanna get some new glasses because they're really making you look like a geekish bust boy."  
  
"I've had these since I was in 5th grade! I cannot take them off! They've given me memories of.." Tsuyoshi started to wimp. He sniffed, and watched the expressionless Akito stare down at him. AKito placed an arm around and patted his back. Tsuyoshi's sister had moved to Australia for an editor job application. He hoped he had moved with her in the first place a couple years ago, but he did not had the fortunate permission from the immigration assemblies who now only allowed one family member to travel to other places (which the government policized in order to make effort on protecting international homeland security).  
  
"Dude, it's alright. We might just end up to become military chefs feeding grains to everyone."  
  
"How is that so? We don't have the skills to.."  
  
"It does not matter, I've been learning to cook, even with my broken hand, when I was   
  
very young at L.A. while my dad was always away at work. Later when I came back to Japan, Sana taught  
  
me more about it, how to prepare fried vegetables..."  
  
"Akito... you could teach me how to fry fish?"  
  
"Well, it takes some practice, but I could help you start with breadmaking first."  
  
  
  
Tsuyoshi, sat and thought of the things he could prepare to impress the driller.  
  
A corporal that was smoking outside of the building spray-painted an army truck on the roadside. He dropped his cigarette on the ground and crushed it. Walking away, he carried a rifle over his shoulder to a nearby lighted cabin. The wordings on the truck said, "This is the offical day our country calls for the 'Draft Persecution'." At the end of it, the strange Imperial symbol of the Japanese flag appeared.  
  
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Tina, if you are reading this, please review! Duh! :) 


	2. Tsuyoshi in Iraq The Cold Sweat Chapter ...

Tsuyoshi in Iraq - The Cold Sweat (Chapter II)  
  
"Are you there? Naozumi Don't tell me you've too got..."  
  
"Huh? What's wrong? I'm okay.... I'm right over here, Fuka "  
  
Concerned Fuka ran up the flight stairs of her high rise apartment. She found the door to the main room open. Upon entry, she sees Naozumi covered in sheets of dark-colored blankets hiding under a large desk. A loud and blunt manly yell could be heard outside.  
  
"Shut the door " said Naozumi.  
  
Fuka closed it, turned around, and asked, "What has happened? You look like you're in some sort of shock."  
  
"No, they're after me - the recruiters. It's quite a story, but I'll explain later." Naozumi crawled out under the desk to the window. He reached up to the blinds and pulled it down. Immediately, he switched the lights off, and it was almost pitch black. Slight light could be seen from under the room the door the main hallway. Another bright but small light could be seen at a corner. It was a flashlight Naozumi had turned on and held.  
  
"Follow me," he directed.  
  
"The army has gotten you, haven't they?"  
  
"No, they found my neighbors - all of them, in this apartment, and they took them away from their wives and children. I was the only man left in this building because I have had hidden myself there very luckily." He pointed to a safe under the desk where he was at. Young Fuka looked under the table and she could almost see a metal casing that appeared to be almost concealed.  
  
"The lock space is just my size. I didn't intend to use it as a safe veil, but anyways... Let's call up Akito.."  
  
"No, he's been drafted. I'm sorry..."  
  
"What about Tsuyoshi?"  
  
"Him too, I'm afraid. Sana, Aya, and I are the only ones left except you."  
  
"Alright, where's Sana and Aya? Home?"  
  
Naozumi and Fuka started walking out towards the indoor parking lot in ground floor.  
  
"Yes, at Sana's home. I'll drive us there..."  
  
"No, I'll drive. You've done a lot of it recently this week."  
  
"Hey I only drove once, and that was yesterday "  
  
"No, the car you drove wasn't mine. That one was the Mercedes I borrowed from my manager. You drove my own Jaguar everyday earlier this week."  
  
"It still doesn't matter whose car it is. I still drive as much as you do whenever we're together "  
  
"Exactly " Naozumi exclaimed as he approached the grey sport Jaguar.  
  
She grunted and said, "Whatever.. You're confusing me "  
  
Naozumi chuckled for his shiny blue eyes was glancing at Fuka, but she had caught him. Fuka began to codify her thoughts when Naozumi's optics were inevitably sparkly. She couldn't face her eyes away from them. Substantially, both of the figures in the lot began nearing each other's faces. Their lips have almost met, until...  
  
"Hey.. We've found one. Over there! Get him!" a dark brown-clothed figure said at the entrance of the lot.  
  
"Get in, Fuka! Quick!" Naozumi panicked.  
  
Fuka and Naozumi scrambled themselves into the vehicle. As soon as Naozumi was on the road, he accelerated the car at the figure with no hesitation.  
  
"Look out " The officer squealed. He jumped to the curb and banged his head at the trash can near the guard post. He fell, but quickly got up and pointed a 357 magnum onto the back window of the speeding car.  
  
"Ahhh " Fuka screamed in mercy. Several graphed shots were fired to the rear sending the car window glass shattering. Naozumi swerved to a deep right to the main street. A loud burning screech sounded off. His vehicle traveled straight for a mile before he finally stopped to the lights.  
  
"Come here.. It's ok.." Naozumi gently hugged Fuka, who rested her head on his chest. He held tighter, and Naozumi could almost feel her teardrops coming out.  
  
At Sana's house, nothing stirred in the night but crickets chirping and a few light-lamps being on. Aya was there making a few sandwiches for a trip Sana had planned to get on to the Tokyo military camp. Sana was on the couch in the living room daydreaming.  
  
"Sana, it's us! Naozumi didn't get conscripted!" Fuka went in through the front door.  
  
"Hey Fuka!" Sana jumped up to her feet and excited herself.  
  
Naozumi sat outside in his driver seat waiting for a signal. Fuka waved her hands out, and Naozumi came in.  
  
"Hi Sana, where's Akito and Tsuyoshi?"  
  
"They've been drafted. I don't know where they are, but we could drive to the Tokyo camp to find out."  
  
"Don't worry, I'll drive all of you girls to the center. They've probably got information about... Wait I can't go. I'll have to stay here. They'll notice me. I'm on their list "  
  
Aya came out of the kitchen and carried with her a handbag in her hands. She paused and listened to the chat Sana and Naozumi were engaging. Fuka started talking to Aya.  
  
"Aya, what is that in your bag?"  
  
"Oh, I've made sandwiches incase anyone gets hungry on the way to the camp."  
  
"I'm not sure if anyone will be hungry though. It's almost midnight."  
  
"Tsuyoshi might if we can ever find him. One of the sandwiches I've made is special." Aya pulled out a breaded meal embedded with hard chocolate and melted marshmallows.  
  
Naozumi continued, "Sana, there must be a way for me to get into that compound. I don't want any of your girls getting hurt without a man in charge."  
  
"Oh, hmm. Wait here " Sana disappeared into a dark room at the back. The house started shaking. Moments later, she came back to the living room from what seems to be upstairs. In one arm, it looks as if she held a blue uniform. The other, she held a holster belt to which it had a small firearm in it. "Sir, try this on."  
  
Naozumi stared at it, and his face analyzed the clothing. "Good idea." Fuka took him to change at the closet room while Sana waited.  
  
Aya sat beside Sana on the couch.  
  
"Sana, may I ask you what is the uniform for?"  
  
"It will disguise Naozumi as a soldier, so no one notice he's still an innocent rookie yet to be taken by the government. Akito bought the whole set from a clothing shop of a museum. The gun that's in the holster is not real; it's just a toy he got on one of his birthdays."  
  
"Oh, I see.." Aya said.  
  
Sana was dropping her head for the first time in years staring at the living room table. "Akito.....", Sana whispered.  
  
Sana looked back at Aya, who was sitting foward watching at nothing. Aya started thinking about Tsuyoshi. She had never been so silent these days ever since Tsuyoshi and she have gotten married. She visions him getting beaten up by the drafters. Drop by drop, her tears started pouring out of her eyes. "Please, not Tsuyoshi!"  
  
"Aya, it's ok, we're in for this together. Don't cry."  
  
Aya sniffed, got up, and swiped her face with a handkerchief in that was in the kitchen. "I know, it's just that it all happened too quick. We were just kids back then, but now things have changed."  
  
A while after, everyone was at the Tokyo recruiting center. While the girls waited in the SUV van, Naozumi disguised as a soldier talking to a head council member in an office room.  
  
"Please, sir I need to talk to Tsuyoshi and Akito. At least tell me where they are..."  
  
"I'm sorry, but unless you have the yellow card, I cannot let you through our network computers. And shouldn't you be outside doing your duty at the front gate?"  
  
"No, it's my break time sir."  
  
The officer looked at his watch and wrinkled his eyes. "Uhh, no..."  
  
"Well, my sergeant gave me a special time off."  
  
"Really?" said the officer. He picked up a phone and dialed the gate sergeant.  
  
Naozumi, upset, pulled out Akito's toy gun and pointed at him, who noticed.  
  
"Do you want to shoot me? Please go ahead " The officer looked up at Naozumi and bellowed.  
  
"Don't make me.." Naozumi responded, shaking his hands on the fake weapon. Outside, he could hear footsteps coming to the door behind him.  
  
"Hello?" someone said.  
  
"Rei? Is that you?" Naozumi said.  
  
"Akito? Naozumi? Huh?"  
  
"It's Naozumi for gosh sakes! I need some help!"  
  
The officer was confused. He never heard of a employee called Naozumi. A tall figure came into the room. It was Rei and he was in his early 40's.  
  
"What's going on here?" Rei asked.  
  
"Rei, do you remember me? It's Naozumi "  
  
"Oh, right.... I remember you. Of course I do!" Rei picked up Naozumi and brought him on his shoulders. He seemed to be hugging him.  
  
"Uh.. ugh.. You're crushing me, sir..." Naozumi said gasping for air.  
  
The officer at the desk expressed a shocking face. His head spun to which seemed like a baseball had slammed at his head at 200 miles per hour. He rolled over the chair, fell to the carpet, and was no more. Rei laughed as the high class member fainted on the ground.  
  
Naozumi was astonished by Rei's intimate trick. Rei seemed to have grown stronger everyday. He couldn't believe his physical abilities to be able to lift adult humanoids onto the shoulders.  
  
Rei sat down on the office chair while Naozumi explained, "Akito and Tsuyoshi were conscripted into the army, and I need your help. I don't think they are fully prepared for the war."  
  
"I see what I'll can do. Meanwhile, do you need their locations?"  
  
"Yes, please. Do you know how?"  
  
"Come with me. You're in the wrong zone. This is the duty post office, not the radar control room."  
  
Naozumi felt misplaced. He should have known better than to go to the head office. He knew Rei was an experienced belligerent of the army. Rei had told everyone that he wished to join the military someday, and for that, he pretty well did. Luckily, Rei did not have to go to war.  
  
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What will happen next? Find out in the next chapter! This author needs a total of 10 reviews to continue the storyline. (The creation of this series is dedicated to Tina.)  
  
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	3. Tsuyoshi in Iraq Unholy Zero Chapter III

Tsuyoshi in Iraq - Unholy Zero (Chapter III)  
  
Everything seemed still in the quiet evening to which the wind was blowing across the dusty and sandy deserts. The moon high above the invisible horizon brightly glowed and welcomed the lively stars that mirthfully followed. Out of the valleys, a cargo plane rose up, and several more carriers came showering towards behind it. Everything on the ground seemed to shake. The lament winds blew heavier and heavier, chalking at the cactuses and rabbit-dug holes.  
  
"30 seconds! Standby!" said the captain in the plane as it roared in the black cloudy sky. All the equipped and armed men were not truly prepared to enter the war zone. Tsuyoshi stood behind Akito who was standing behind two other men who were nearing towards the door.  
  
"Tsuyoshi," said Akito. "I need you to jump at the spot of where I do. Okay? And don't flare your parachute until you see the ground. It's dangerous!"  
  
"Akito, this whole thing doesn't look good to me."  
  
"82nd Airborne! Go, go, go!" All the American soldiers started flying out of the doors and dropping into the shadows of the hell below.  
  
"Alright! All Japanese forces, take your positions!" the captain yelled. Everyone started moving up to the exit doors, to which they were opened out towards the thunderous gleaming skies. Tsuyoshi's and Akito's hair started waving out of their helmets. Sparks and bangs clashed the clouds in the heated air. Tracers of bullets started flying all over the atmosphere. Green, orange, and red colors burned on the tracers. It appeared like a thousand firework shows going on at once.  
  
"41st Japanese Division Jumpers! Go, go, go!" Akito started out the door, and before Tsuyoshi could even notice, Akito was out already.  
  
"Akito? Akito! Where are you? I can't see you!" screamed Tsuyoshi.  
  
"Move out, soldier!" said the captain.  
  
Tsuyoshi tightly closed his eyes and jumped out the CH-47. It was like as if his heart has had a heart attack for a millisecond. Tsuyoshi opened his eyes and soon found himself in the middle of smoke and flashes of light. He could smell the oily and stainless steel gunpowder lingering in the air. Tsuyoshi felt like he was floating in a real nightmare. Breezes of air and screeching bullet noises started buzzing his ears and face. His helmet was almost flying above his head.  
  
"Akito! Akito?" Tsuyoshi cried, and there was no answer but gunfire spitting coughs at him. In a moment's notice, Tsuyoshi spotted a patch of land on the ground. He grabbed his shoulder straps with his hand and plunged his parachute downwards. Using his right hand, he tugged on the release and descended himself vertically. A large wide canopy bursted over his body ultimately slowing him to a floating halt.  
  
"Ouch!" he said. Tsuyoshi hand landed on a baby cactus that was on moist sand. Luckily for him only two cacti thorns had pierced his thighs. Overhead in the skies, bangs and flashes of light could still be heard from almost a mile away. He started reaching towards the lower parachute straps that were attached to his legs. Finally, he broke away from the drop- equipment, lied down on his back, and started reaching and scrambling his backpack for tweezers.  
  
All Akito think of was Sana, how he missed her, and how would he make up to her if he dies by bloodshed. He stood up and took his rifle out the bag. Gradually, he cocked its charging handle, tapped forward-assist structure, and starting positioning the gun onto his shoulders. He felt quite heavy, for he had many things the Japanese Army had given him in the need for survival - water, knife, grenades, food, and all sorts of other useful things. Quickly, he walked towards a hill at the south to which all landed airborne soldiers were to meet.  
  
"Akito, I'm coming to find you! Don't go anywhere else!" Sana said with sorrow. She, Aya, Fuka, Rei, and Naozumi were in a private plane aviating to the allied Saudi Arabian airbase.  
  
"Do not worry, Sana, we'll arrive there. In the meanwhile, we need to pray that Akito and Tsuyoshi are still okay. We can't lose faith in ourselves," suggested Rei, who was sitting at the corner thinking while ponderously looking at the wall. Everyone was so worried that Fuka began to walk towards the back of the plane. Aya and Naozumi were praying peacefully at their seats.  
  
"I have some tea for you guys to help take the ego off from your necks," Fuka returned with a tray of drinks.  
  
"Thanks," said Sana and Rei as they took two of the glasses from Fuka.  
  
Aya and Naozumi took some, but they barely sipped the tea when they drank.  
  
"Alright, fasten your seatbelts, please. We're going to land in 10 minutes. Thank you," the air-pilot announced on the intercom.  
  
The night still blanketed the skies. Bonfires were seen at a distance, blazing a warmth of heat and light. A couple of guys started eating their tuna at their individual tents. Others sat and chattered, while some filled in their activities in journals and diaries. One of the men started walking towards a sizable cactus and plugged a pipe into its body. Water came flowing out of the funnel and into the man's cup. While raising the cup to his mouth, he saw a dark figure at a long range running towards him.  
  
"Hey guys, it's Tsuyoshi!" Everyone started standing up from what they were doing and glanced at the direction of the man's. Tsuysohi seemed exhausted from running towards their camp. He finally joined his airborne corps after miles of fatigue from thirst and no warmth.  
  
"Bbb-rr.. I-I nnn-eed ssss..s ssom water and heh-heat," Tsuyoshi shivered. He face was numb and almost stricken with paleness. Two other guys started bringing Tsuyoshi some hot water from a cooking pot.  
  
"S-so.. Who are you guys from?" asked Tsuyoshi steadily drinking his water.  
"Apparently, you're in the wrong place. This is the Japino- Americorps. Several of our guys are Japanese. Others are from the United States Army. We've mixed in together, and it's our mission to reconnoiter the area and report back to HQ by radio. It seems to me from your arm-patch you're from 41st. If you use your compass and the GPS system, you can find you way to their camp six miles from here right over there..." a sergeant said pointing at the direction of the north star.  
  
"The captain told us to go west, but that's I've heard from one of my friends."  
  
"Well, I'm sure it's north. Here, I'll radio the HQ." The sergeant picked up a speaker and punched in some numbers on his comm machine. "Hello, this is Sgt. Jacob, and we've have a 41st infantryman here. Could you tell me what direction and how far the 41st division is from here?"  
  
{This is HQ. We cannot get your signal. Please turn fffff pfff in to th pff righff frequenff refff alerffff red alepffad enemffff approacfff your ppffhhh...}  
  
"Hello? Hello? HQ, come in! I can't get your.." Ricochet! A bullet struck at lightning speed on the right side of the sergeant's head. He dropped down and dark red blood spewed onto the sand like a gushing faucet. The fluids riveted down the grooves on the ground of where he laid. His eyes popped out like he was in some sort of shock from an ungratifying house debt.  
  
"TAKE COVER!" a serviceman said from his tent. Everyone started diving towards their manholes. Bullets flew everywhere - some into the dirt and others onto the men's equipment. Explosions started to erupt from nowhere. Two of the gunners started firing their machine guns in panic. Bullet shells ringed bells as they flew high and low around the camp bouncing off sand, cooking tin cans that were over the bonfires, and wood from a secluded storage area.  
  
Tsuyoshi began crawling to his backpack that laid near a large canteen. Out of it, he took out his automatic and started charging its handle. A fire erupted at one of the tents, and a man started screaming inside it. The figure emerged outside and is completely covered with flames. Tsuyoshi was in panic, but all he could do was look at the burnt man die helplessly. He was a medic, but he did not have any water or skills to fight off the flames for the poor soul.  
  
"Tsuyoshi, I need your help over here!" a voice said behind him. Tsuyoshi turned around a saw a soldier lying on his back at the foot of the trench jerking his leg up and down like he was in some sort of spasm. "Come, come...." the man said.  
  
"What happened?" inquired Tsuyoshi kneeling towards him. The injured fellow started coughing.  
  
"My leg. I think I've been shot there. Could you help fix me up?" he begged.  
  
"Hold still." Tsuyoshi took out a kit to which contained some adhesive strips, cleaning cloths, anti-infection fluids, tweezers, needle- nosed clamps, and other first aid instrumentation. Out of it, he started wrapping the fellow's bleeding calf with a towel.  
  
"I don't know if I can use this leg again. It's my good one, too."  
  
"Nothing.. I can still see the bullet lodged into your skin. You're fine. At least your calf bone isn't shattered to bits." Tsuyoshi pulled his needle-nosed clamps and started digging out the warhead from the wound.  
  
"I feel better," the man said at last and got up. Tsuyoshi advised him to not walk with his right leg again until he can be fully checked up by the Red Cross Station. "Say, my name's Ian, from the 10th Mountain Division. It looks like all of us in this camp are commingled together from different army regiments. What's yours?"  
  
"Tsuyoshi from the 41st Japanese," Tsuyoshi replied. The battle continued to rage on, and the skies started turning from black to orange. Tsuyoshi helped Ian to a tent nearby and gave him his own water. Both started lying on their backs inside the cool tarp shading. The gunfire amplified to a lower speed and soon, no more shots were ignited, save for one for each four-five seconds. Outside, a statement bellowed, "Area secured! Return to your garrisons!"  
  
The sun rose above determining to scorch the earth and the living. Lizards started creeping out of their nesting areas to skew a deadly hunt on insects and mice. Cacti everywhere started shriveling up and sweating. No one was to been seen for miles away, except for an fatigued gent that was footing on a top of a dune mound. It collapsed and began to crawl at a direction looking for cheap shelter.  
  
"Tsuyoshi! Tsuyoshi!" Akito squalled defenselessly from the heat. He hated crawling like a Sissie, but at least no one was gazing at him dying to laugh for some unfair discrepancy against Akito. His eyes were filled with sand, and Akito started blinking. The wind speed picked up and gradually the coral dirts started hitting at his face like a big Mama slapping a whiny and bawling youngster.  
  
Akito saw a foreigner dressed in a camouflaged suit running at a horizon in the east. A couple more soldiers came following after it. Akito's binoculars were stored his pack, but he didn't have any intention to use it until the wind subsided. The dust picked up and began to shower his head and back. He coughed and waited.  
  
Finally, everything laid still, and the desert could be seen again clearly. Akito scrambled for the binoculars and zoomed in at the east path- route. Through them, he could see a far-away truck stopping and moving. Akito predicted the truck was having engine problems. The soldiers started yelling and cursing at the driver. They were waving their rifles over here and there. Suddenly, the truck yielded smoke from its front hatch. Two men, including the driver, came out of the vehicle and began kicking the tires and wrinkling their faces. A tall guy behind the furious group started pointing at the direction of where Akito was at.  
  
"God help me." Akito startled while he searched for his Armalite. He began aiming the weapon at the charging enemy combatants that were in a irritated mood. His breathing started to increase at a higher pace and intensity. He concentrated on focusing the rear sights with the front. Akito's fingers were sweating and trembling at the trigger. Increasing pressure on the fire lever, Akito discharged the M-16, and a bullet came thundering out in a loud, bright, smoking flash at the direction of the running brute. The shot entity fell down and blood came gushing out of his chest and onto the sand.  
Akito kept on shooting at the military force, but afraid of having no ammunition left during the battle, he cooked a grenade and threw it at the hurling group of soldiers, so to save some extra bullets. The explosion echoed the air, and pieces of shrapnel littered the sky. Akito played a tantalizing hide and seek with the enemy while slowly moving along a flanking path to the enemy encampment's rear access. He took out his Global Positioning System (GPS) and radioed in several air strikes to where he was at.  
  
{This is HQ. We're are air-on-way to your position in T-minus two minutes. Stand clear for suppressing fire.}  
  
"Roger!" Akito said with honor. Without knowing, he found a large rabbit hole dug beside him. Akito crawled into the opening backwards and covered his head with his helmet. Inside, it felt cold, but that soothed him from the unmerciful dry outdoors. Yells were outside and the winds began to pick up again.  
  
"Follow me!" Rei ordered as he lead Naozumi and the others into a tall tent that was near the flagpole.  
  
"Ah, Rei.. So glad to meet you," a general greeted and shook hands with Rei.  
  
"So you have the locations of Akito and Tsuyoshi?"  
  
"Akito- yes. Tsuyoshi - no. I'm afraid Tsuyoshi does not have the GPS radio with him lately. Please sit down."  
  
Rei started waving orders to come in.  
  
"General Johnson, these are my friends, and they're the ones looking for Akito and Tsuyoshi."  
  
"United States Army, and you must be...?"  
  
"Naozumi, and this is Fuka, Sana, and Aya," he gestured at the others.  
  
"Hi," they addressed.  
  
General Johnson got up from his seat and started walking towards a map. "You see here, this is where Akito is at, but. I'm not sure if he's behind enemy lines. I think he's near this friendly area - right here. Lucky for him, he just called in our air force to assail the insurgents at east area. Alright I'm going to send a rescue division to look for Tsuyoshi. In the meantime, we'll radio in Akito to return to base while you guys stay here and wait for a couple days, if not weeks, until all your loved ones are back home."  
  
"Thank you very much, sir," Rei appraised and went outside with the others to a private tent.  
  
"Wow, Rei, he must be a nice guy to have in your job," Fuka commented.  
  
"Yes, he is a respectful general and dedicated one. Let's all have a eat... Say? Where's Aya?"  
  
"We just saw her come with us a couple minutes ago," said Sana.  
  
"This is a big encampment, and it's better if we stuck together in order to not get lost. Everyone split up and find her."  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Where has Aya gone? Is Akito going to ever get back to HQ? Where is Tsuyoshi going with his new division? Find out in the next chapter! Each review post addition will result in a 7.5% increase in the probability of the next chapter being published tomorrow! It will be any day when a new chapter will be posted on "Tsuyoshi in Iraq the Series"! 


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